A bad economy affects everyone. Whether you live on your own or are still dependent on your parents, finances cause stress by hitting your wallet hard. However, it doesn’t have to hurt your health, and recession-friendly habits can be used to save money and help you lose weight.
Pre-plan: What you eat
Restaurants and vending machines don’t always have the healthiest or cheapest options available. Even the “heart healthy” menu items can be harmful when we’re not paying attention to our own eating habits, said Virginia Gray, Cal State Long Beach nutrition lecturer and dietitian.
“It’s often not the food itself, but how we prepare it,” she said. Oils and dressings can pack on hundreds of calories to an otherwise healthy salad, Gray said.
An easy way to save $5 a day is by bringing your own food to school or work. Try preparing a cup of whole wheat pasta mixed with tomato sauce the night before, suggested Heidi Burkey, a health educator at CSULB Student Health Services. Many employee break rooms have refrigerators and microwaves. On campus, microwaves are located in the University Student Union, outdoors by the Liberal Arts buildings and in many department offices.
“Try looking for things you can pack that are a mix of proteins, carbs and fat,” Gray said. Items such as almonds or low-fat cream cheese on a whole wheat bagel make great choices because they help us feel full longer than snacking on fruit alone, she said.
Another way to immediately start saving money is to stop buying bottled water. A $1.25 bottle of water bought five days a week will cost $325 annually. Buying an aluminum or metal water bottle is a good investment, Burkey said.
Tap water is as safe as bottled water, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. They both must meet the same government-regulated standards. Some bottled water is treated more frequently than public water, some less and some not at all, according the EPA Web site.
Keeping the body hydrated especially in dry or hot weather is vital, Burkey said.
Choose your foods
The problem most people have eating healthy isn’t always the price of the vegetable, but that a lot of young adults are shopping to just feed themselves, Burkey said. Frozen vegetables are a great alternative to fresh produce and minimize food wastage.
“Frozen vegetables retain their nutrient value because of the speed of which they are frozen right after being harvested,” she said.
Community farmer’s markets are an inexpensive source of locally grown fresh produce. Most communities have a weekly market where local residents can often find organically grown fruits and vegetables at a competitive price to chain grocery stores.
When shopping for fruits and vegetables, choose items that are highly pigmented. The concentrated color in choices like blueberries and kale correspond with nutrient content, Gray said.
The key is to aim for “variety and balance,” Gray said. Choose produce in a variety of colors, shop for lean cuts of meat, low-fat dairy and don’t skip the carbohydrates, she said.
“There has been some misconception about carbohydrates recently,” Gray said, adding that carbohydrates are a necessary fuel source. “It’s about getting the right carbohydrates, such as whole wheat and brown rice.” Other sources are whole grains found in barley, wild rice and oats.
Add small activities to your routine
Fit cardio activity into your busy schedule by wearing tennis shoes when you go to work or school. Walking doesn’t cost you anything and you can do it almost anywhere, Burkey said.
Your daily walk across campus could give you the 30 minutes of physical activity a day recommended by the U.S. Center for Disease Control. Do it Monday through Friday and you’ve reached the advised five times a week.
You can quickly and easily make an aerobic workout a part of your daily routine by choosing to take the stairs rather than the elevator in parking structures and other buildings, Burkey said.
Another reason to skip the campus shuttle is the added benefit to your mental health. Walking and other physical activities are great stress reducers, according to Brad Compliment, director of Counseling and Psychological Services.
“When a person is in a good place mentally, they are often also in a good place physically,” Compliment said.
You can also sign up for a physical activity class through the Leisure and Recreation Department or take a one-unit physical education class. Courses such as yoga, Tai Chi and aerobics offer multiple-week sessions at a low cost to community members and students. Most PE classes don’t charge anything on top of what a student is already paying for their semester fees.
“Chances are that if you’re already taking multiple units, one more unit isn’t going to bump you into a higher tuition bracket,” Burkey said.
Think about it
Today, three out of four adults are overweight, according to studies completed by the National Center for Health Statistics. Half of those adults are at risk of diabetes, stroke, cancer and cardiovascular disease due to their weight.
“High-fat foods are cheap and in our face everywhere,” Gray said. “Home Depot, for example. You can buy food there.”
Adults are increasingly becoming less active over time. We sit more and move less today compared to the average five years ago, according to recent studies from the CDC.
“We live a more sedentary lifestyle, being active is a conscious choice now,” Gray said.